


Trick or Treat

by spacedust719



Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018) Actor RPF
Genre: F/M, Halloween, Mutual Pining, Trick or Treating, usual cliche stuff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-09
Updated: 2019-09-09
Packaged: 2020-10-13 01:22:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20574137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spacedust719/pseuds/spacedust719
Summary: Joe and the Reader take his niece trick or treating. Seeing Joe with a child doesn’t help reader’s crush on Joe.





	Trick or Treat

**Author's Note:**

> This was for a writing contest on tumblr originally.

Right as you came back above ground from the subway, your phone rang. Your best friend Joe’s face on the caller ID surprised you. It was 7:30 and he wasn’t filming right now so you weren’t really sure why he was already awake when he didn’t have to be. There was no pretext after you said hello, Joe got right to his purpose, “we should do a couples costume.”

You laughed and rolled your eyes, “we aren’t a couple though. Also, it’s August.” 

The light melody of Joe’s laugh rang in your ear, “we gotta plan baby.”

You closed your eyes as you stood on the street corner waiting to cross at the intersection, “again, not a couple, not your baby.” You had had a crush on Joe for a few years now. You’d tried dating other men but ended up just comparing all of them to you best friend. It really wasn’t that tough being around him most of the time. In fact, there was no other way you wanted to spend your time. Joe had a tendency to joke about you being his wife or use terms of endearment for you that are normally reserved for a significant other. Hearing him easily call the two of you a couple when you doubted he would ever want that was difficult.

Joe scoffed, “fine!” His tone became more cheerful, “but what if I make you dress as a baby, then can I call you that?”

You couldn’t help laughing, “what are you going as in this situation?”

“Daddy” Joe’s voice was deep and his tone suggestive. It was like you could hear him winking through the phone.

You groaned, “no!”

Joe cackled, “not into that I take it. What do you want to be, then?”

You bit your lip trying to think, “Can I think about it for a little bit? Not everyone plans their costume over 2 months early.”

“Fine!” Joe sounded so serious you had to laugh a little, “only a week though. It’s gotta be good. We need time.”

“We are just taking your niece trick or treating. I don’t think it matters.”

Joe spoke so loud you had to pull the phone away from your ear, “Y/L/N! It does matter! It’s the best day of the year.”

Joe would be more creative with costumes than you felt you could be so you would just let him choose “how about you pick costumes that don’t make it seem like I have father issues?”

“So a stripper?”

“Exactly!” You laughed and shook your head at him even though he couldn’t actually see you. “I’ll wear that costume when you do.”

Joe chuckled, “don’t tempt me. Maybe for the adult party later that night.”

You pulled open the door to go into work, “umm what?” 

You heard shuffling on the other side of the line and what sounded like water running. “Michael has been planning a Halloween party since last year. We should be able to make it back into the city just as it’s getting good.”

It was encouraging that Joe wanted to attend this party with you as well. He would usually tell you about stuff like this but almost always had a date to go with. You smiled, “sounds great. I’m at work now. I gotta go.”

“Me too. I need to shower for a meeting. I’ll text you costume ideas later.”

++++++++

Joe text you when he was leaving his house so you sat outside waiting on your doorsteps waiting so he wouldn’t have to park. Luckily there was enough room for him to pull up to the curb. He rolled the passenger side window to yell at you, “Dottie!! Get in! We need to beat traffic out of the city.” Joe had found eerily accurate costumes that looked like they were straight out of _ A League of Their Own. _It made you wonder slightly if he called up Tom Hanks and somehow got actual costumes from the movie. He was dressed as Tom Hanks’s character Jimmy and you were going as Gena Davis’s Dottie. Joe handed you a catcher’s face mask as you sat in the passenger’s seat. Joe even had the appropriate amount of stubble for being Jimmy.

As you cross the bridge out of the city, Joe asks you to play the Halloween playlist he made. You start to catch him up on what had happened in the last week. He had been out of California for the past week. You were just about to start a story but hesitated when the _ Monster Mash _ started playing for a second time causing you to pause for a second. Figuring he probably just accidently added it twice, you started to tell a story about your annoying coworker. Joe was telling you about the lady sitting next to him on his flight who told him her entire life story. _ Monster Mash _ started playing for a third time.

You started laughing, “Joe!” Joe laughed and shrugged then continued his story about how casually the stranger told him about her first husband getting arrested. It was entertaining enough that hearing the same song for the third time didn’t bother you. However, when it started playing for a fourth time, you grabbed the phone from the cup holder and unlocked it.

You laughed, “It’s just this song? Joe!” You laughed harder.

Joe reached over and tried to take the phone back, “yes. Just let it happen.”

You held the phone out of his reach, “I’m not listening to that song for an hour!”

Joe shushed you and spoke in a soft voice, “you won’t even notice it!”

“I’m changing it.”

Joe huffed, “FINE!” His tone was angry but you could see the humor in his eyes as he pretended to be mad, “I went through ALL this trouble to make the PERFECT road trip mix and you hate it! I’m never doing that again! What kind of marriage is this?”

You couldn’t help but laugh more as Joe stopped at a stop sign, “I love you, but I’m changing it.”

Joe looked over at you. His adam apple bobbed as his expression softened, “yeah. Okay.”

You looked over his face trying to read his expression. It wasn’t one you easily recognised. It seemed like something you hoped to see from him for a while now. You swallowed hard, “what?”

Joe licked over his lips. A smile slowly formed, “can we listen to it one more time? I didn’t get to sing along and make the voices.”

A honk from the car behind you startled you both. Joe had gotten distracted and forgot to take his turn at the 4 way stop. He smiled as he started driving again since you put the song on one more time for him. 

  


Joe had barely stopped the car in front of his brother’s house when he was out the door and running up to his niece who was playing in the front yard. She screeched and ran from him. Joe pretended not to be quick enough to catch her. He would stay far enough behind her that his fingers would just barely touch her while he failed to grab her as she changed directions rapidly.

You exited the car at a normal human pace and walked up to John. He was watching his daughter and brother run around. He held out an arm to give you a side hug. You wrapped an arm around his waist and squeezed. “Hi, John.”

John smile, “Hey, Y/N”

You slid away from his side, “where’s the wife?”

“Inside getting little bit’s pumpkin pail. How does Joe still have this much energy at 36?”

“No kids.” John nodded like that made complete sense. “Plus he’s made of pure chaos.”

John laughed hard, “right. Thanks for coming. We really appreciate you guys doing this. It’s been a long time since we’ve had a night us the two of us.”

You smile, “of course! Plus, I’m pretty sure Joe is just doing it to steal the candy.”

John laughed again, “he can have half.”

Joe finally caught Leah, picking her up and flipping her over his shoulder so her waist rested on his shoulder and her legs hung down his back. He kept a hand on her back to keep her in place as he approached John and you. “Has anyone seen Leah?” 

You laughed and Leah squealed.

John put his hands on his hips, “it’s been 30 seconds and you lost my kid! To think I was going to trust you with her all night.” John stepped forward to tickle his daughter. He grabbed her off Joe’s shoulder and carried her back into the house to grab a jacket. The breeze was getting colder even though it wasn’t even dark yet. 

Joe moved to your side and put an arm around your shoulders, pulling you against his side. His fingers tapped out a rhythm on your arm.

You snickered as you realized what song it was. “Why do you like the _ Monster Mash _ so much?”

Joe’s finger’s stilled quickly. “I don’t necessarily. It’s just stuck in my head now.”

Leah ran back outside with a pumpkin bucket for candy. She also had on two more pieces to her costume, a wig and belt. You hadn’t been sure what she was dressed as when Joe pulled up and she was just in a white dress. The cinnamon roll like buns of her wig made it obvious she was dressed as Princess Leia. Joe was beaming proudly at her. He had shown her the movies the last time he babysat. Leah pulled a blaster from her bucket. She made noises as she pointed it at Joe. Joe clutched his stomach and fell to the ground where he pretended to die. 

Leah giggled as she poked him with her foot, “get up. It’s time to take me trick or treating.”

Joe’s eyes popped open. He looked between you and Leah, both standing on one of his sides. You held out a hand to help him up. Joe and you start walking after Leah, who is practically running to the neighbors door on her mission to get as much candy as she can. 

The whole exercise makes you long for a family with Joe. This is exacerbated when a guy at one of the houses tells Leah her parents have great costumes. Leah hesitantly says thank you. You aren’t sure if her tone is because you guys aren’t her parents or because she hadn’t been impressed when Joe explain the costumes.

At one of the houses you thought you were going to bite a hole through your lip trying not to laugh at Joe. The 40 something woman that answered the door immediately looked him up and down lustfully, “Are you Joe Mazzello?” Leah twisted around to look up at her uncle at the same time you looked over at him.

Joe’s eyes were huge but his voice was tiny, “yes.” This is when you started biting your lip.

She reached forward and dragged the nail of her pointer finger down Joe’s chest. His eyes immediately looked down at it. “My husband is becoming my ex husband. Why don’t you keep me company while these girls continue.” The lady ticked her head towards you.

Joe’s eyes met you. He looked slightly panicked. You raised your eyebrows at him, trying not to be too amused at him and this lady shooting her shot. Leah whimpering at the prospect of Joe leaving breaks him out of his shock. Joe looks back at her, he points his thumb towards you, “I’m with her.” You smiled politely as you gave her a small wave. The lady glowered at you then practically shoves the bowl of candy in front of Leah.

A few houses down the street had a mini “haunted house” set up in their garage. There was black fabric parted to reveal a path winding through it. There was dry ice over the ground, a witch that’s eyes lit up green and cackled as you walked, and red light overhead making all of it creepier.

Farther into the garage was a table with different bowls set out with food in them, but they were labeled as different parts of the body. The lady that lived at the house was dressed up as a doctor with fake blood smeared all over her lab coat. She explained to Leah that she could feel the different body parts. There was spaghetti in water with a card that said “guts” in front of it, there was a playdoh heart covered in what looked like oil as a heart, and peeled grapes as eyeballs. Joe tried to get Leah to touch some of them. She just stood at the edge of the table, looking at the items with her nose crinkled up.

Joe looks down at Leah, “how about I do it?” She nods vigorously. Joe sticks his hand in the bowl of peeled grapes. He immediately screams, startling Leah, the owner of the house, and you. He grabs at his wrist with his other hand, miming trying to pull it out of the bowl.

“Leah! They have my hand. Help!” 

Leah just holds her hands over her mouth.

Joe falls to his knees as he continues to struggle to remove his hand. There is family in line behind you watching now. The parents have bemused looks on their faces while the son who’s about Leah’s age looks slightly frightened.

Joe is breathing heavy, “Leah… you gotta help me.” He leans his ear over the bowl, “they say only you can help me get my hand back. They are going to EAT IT if you don’t.”

Leah scrunches up her face, “the eyeballs are talking!?” 

Joe looks like he might have worked up actual tears. He sounded so desperate, “help me. You’re my only hope. I need my hand.”

Leah grabs onto his sleeve and pulls. Joe takes his hand out of the grapes, “thank you! You saved me.” He hugs her tight against his chest with his clean hand. Leah kissed Joe’s cheek, causing Joe’s face to light up. Joe stood up and calmly asked, “do you have a towel I may dry my hand on?” The lady laughed, handing him a paper towel. 

Leah tugged on Joe’s shirt, “is your hand okay?”

Joe nodded, then picked her up and settled her on his hip. He whispered, “It's fine. Just try poking them.” Joe leaned forward so Leah could reach the bowl. 

She barely poked one, “these are grapes!” She giggled loudly. Joe started tickling her side making her laugh louder as Joe walked out of the garage with Leah still in his arms. You trailed behind them, wistfully thinking how much you wanted to kiss Joe right now. Or just offer to have however many kids he wanted immediately.

Trick or treating felt like a snapshot preview of a life you could have with Joe. Joe being an engaging, goofy, and loving father and husband. By the time you got to the party at Michael’s, you had almost worked up enough courage to tell Joe how you felt. Your nerves were making you feel like you needed to pee. That seemed slightly more urgent than professing. 

When you came back from the bathroom, you were practically smacked in the face by one of the reasons you haven’t told Joe how you felt. Joe was by the makeshift bar in the living room with a girl fawning over him. He seemed to be telling a story based on his hand movements. The girl giggled and placed a hand on Joe’s forearm. Joe always seemed to be taken. Everytime you thought you were ready to tell him how you felt, he’d tell you a story about a girl. Or he’d show up with a girl. Or like this, a girl would find him. With a sigh, you walked to the kitchen to find a drink. 

One side of the sink had been filled with ice that was keeping bottles of beer cold. You moved around a guy partially blocking the sink while he talked to a friend. He watched you go by. When you turned back around, he was facing you and blocking your path. You gave him a tight closed mouth smile hoping he would move out of the way. Sadly this just encouraged him. 

He wiggled his eyebrows at you, “Hey pumpkin, bet I can make you smile bigger.”

You couldn’t help the groan that left your lips. Joe suddenly appear from behind the guy, “she’s right. That was terrible.” Joe stands incredibly close to you. So close that you can tell he’s been drinking whiskey. “I came in here expecting a trick, but you’re a real treat.” Joe’s equally terrible pick up line made you giggle and look at the ground. Joe smile proudly, “Are you being a ghost for Halloween, or are you just my boo?”

You glanced up and over at Joe confused, but he was looking at the guy, “She’s obviously not dressed as a ghost, but if the matching costumes aren’t enough of an indication, she is my boo.” Joe put his arm around your waist as he called you his boo. The guy held his up, palms towards Joe and exited the kitchen. 

You tapped Joe on the shoulder, “mmm I’m your boo? Also, you said you were with me when you were propositioned earlier tonight too. What’s up?”

Joe shrugged. He turned slightly towards you while he studied your face. “Wishful thinking?”

You took a step back from him. Shocked by his words. “What? Are you serious?”

Joe took a hesitant step towards you, reaching his hands out to gently rest them on your hips, “yeah. Is that okay?”

Your eyebrows knit together. “You are always dating someone else though.”

Joe brushed his thumb against your cheek. He beamed when you leaned into his touch, “they ended because none of them are you. Tonight reminded me I want to spend all my Halloweens like that. With you”

You could barely speak you were smiling so hard. After a moment, you managed, “with your brother’s kids?”

Joe laughed, “or with our own smart aleck. We should probably go talk about that.” Joe pulled you closer to him by your hips.

You placed one hand on his chest, and tapped a finger against your lips while pretending to think. “Hmmm. OR we could go makeout about it.”

Joe’s eyes got huge. He bounced a little, “that works too! Do you want to do that in a bedroom here? Out in my car?” He trailed off.

“Your apartment.” You brushed your nose against his.

Joe quickly let go of your hips and grabbed one of your hands. He practically yanked you towards the front door. The party host Michael, who you haven't seen yet, was by the door. He looked really excited to see you guys. Before he could greet you Joe clasped his shoulder, “Hi! Bye! She likes me back. Gotta go. Great party. Looking forward to next years.” You waved at him as you walked by.

Michael laughed and hollered at you both, “it’s about time!”

  



End file.
